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DEFENDING champion San Beda College and Colegio de
San Juan de Letran re-live their 1950 championship epic as they meet
in Game 1 of their best-of-three title series in the 83rd National
Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament Wednesday at
the Araneta Coliseum.
The Red Lions, led by 6-foot-9
Nigerian Sam Ekwe, face the Knights at 4 p.m. right after Game 1 of
the junior title series between the Squires and the Staglets at 2
p.m.
It will be second championship
showdown between Letran, which joined the league in 1924, and San
Beda, which entered in 1927. The first was 59 years ago when a
group of Knights known as “Murder Inc.” powered by the late
Lauro Mumar, Nilo Varona and Herminio Astorga prevailed over the
Carlos Loyzaga-led Red Lions, 66-55, in the finals.
Letran is seeking its 17th title
while San Beda, which pocketed its first title in 1928, ended a
28-year title drought last year.
Coach Frankie Lim, a member of
the San Beda which won back-to-back titles in 1977 and 1978, said
they intend to finish the series in just two games.
“It’s going to be a tough
series for us but we intend to finish it in two games, hopefully,”
said Lim after the Red Lions ousted the Mapua Cardinals, 74-64, in
the semifinals on September 12.
Letran, which scored a 70-61
victory over Jose Rizal University to reach their third finals in
five years, must stop Ekwe to win Game 1.
“Our problem is Sam [Ekwe]. If
we can control him, the game is already even,” said Letran coach
Louie Alas. “We spent the past week improving on our shooting and
we watched the video tapes of San Beda’s games.”
Alas said the Knights’
situation now is almost a similar when they dethroned San Sebastian
in 2003 and Philippine Christian University in 2005.
“If we cannot stop Sam, then at
least we have to limit the production of Yousif Aljamal, Pong
Escobal, Borgie Hermida and Ogie Menor,” added Alas.
“We have made this far and all
we have to do is to sustain our game and play more solidly,” said
Alas, who will rely on prolific guard RJ Jazul, Bryan Faundo, Rey
Guevarra, Reymar Gutilban and Miko Quinday.
--Frank Calapre
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